While perusing my Instagram feed like I tend to do at a borderline obsessive rate, I came across a mouthwatering spread of snacks a good friend of mine had prepared for dinner. Not one to feel particularly confident in her culinary skills or ability to collect appropriate kitchen supplies (she has a plate specifically designed for serving deviled eggs, but no garlic press), my friend had proven that she could easily be in the running for America’s Next Top Finger Foods Chef (reality show pending). Yes, her creation may have even been worthy of the often misused #foodporn hashtag, which tends to come attached (non-ironically) to uninspiring photos of what can only be described as poorly lit gruel snapped with a Motorola Razr phone. What was in her spread, you ask? A beautiful array of fresh cut vegetables, a creamy veggie dip and a plate of spicy gourmet deli meats, some slices of Swiss cheese and apples, and a Mediterranean olive medley. Perfection, if you ask me.

Feeling inspired, I felt compelled to pay homage to the practice of trading the traditional suppertime plate of meat and potatoes (or tofu and potatoes or fish and potatoes or whatever you like to eat with your potatoes) with a spread of tasty snacks. You know, something a group of friends or a family could enjoy whilst catching up on the latest episode of The Walking Dead (or GOT, or what have you). It’s also something people who aren’t too talented in the kitchen can easily throw together with impressive results and little more supplies than a knife, cutting board and some serving plates.

How to Make Snacks for Dinner

The beauty of making snacks for dinner is that it couldn’t be easier to do. Depending on the finger foods you include, snacks can make for a really fun and delicious dinner, not to mention a great way to get a variety of flavors and nutrients into your end-of-day meal. The fact that cutlery and heavy-duty cookware are not required also means less to clean up! In addition to that, you’re grazing instead of sitting down for a heavy meal, which may equal less calorie intake, provided you pay attention to portion sizes and opt for veggies as much as possible.

Wondering what kind of snack spread to make? Here are some ideas:

• Go for a Mediterranean theme with olives, cubes of feta, hummus, and some oven-toasted pita triangles and various veggies for dipping.
• Try a Mexican theme with fresh salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips (baked for a healthier option) and maybe throw in a couple Luvo burritos and slice them up for sharing.
• Take a trip to Italy and pop a couple of our savory flatbreads in the oven, cut them into crowd-friendly slices and serve alongside mini Caprese-inspired skewers: poke a toothpick through a grape tomato, a mini ball of bocconcini (fresh mozzarella), and a fresh basil leaf and repeat.
• For a play on the classic charcuterie plate, cut up some of your favorite cheeses and meats and serve with whole grain  rackers, dried apricots, apple slices and pickles.

What would your dream snack spread include? Tell us in the comments, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter at @luvoinc.

Happy snacking!